My beloved and I love antiques. We love good deals even more, which is why we enjoy going to antique auctions. My sister-in-law and her husband have done this for many years; their home is filled with beautiful treasures. Knowing we were interested in learning the auction game, one evening my sister-in-law invited us to tag along. It was at that first auction, as the first item was up for bid that I learned my first lesson. I call it Auction 101. Sit still. Sit very still, if you are not bidding. Flailing your arms can, at any time, be considered a bid. I did not know these rules that day; I had to learn the hard way.
I was seated next to my sister-in-law, with my bidding card in my hand as the auction began. The auctioneer opened with his call for bids. "What’llyougimmeforthisplatter? Fivegimmefivefive. Whowillgimmefivegimmefivefive." As he continued his rhymic chant, his voice faded into the background of my mind. My eyes were riveted on the blue and white platter that his assistant held up. I turned to my sister-in-law and pointed my card toward the platter. “That is my favorite shade of blue”, I whispered. She turned in the direction I was pointing then back toward me. “What?” she asked. I pointed again. “That is my favorite color of blue.” “SOLD TO NUMBER…SOLD TO NUMBER…MA’AM, PLEASE HOLD UP YOUR NUMBER.” It was at that point that I realized that the auctioneer and all five of his assistants were looking straight at me! I held up my card obediently and turned to her. “I think I just bought something." I turned to my beloved. "I THINK I JUST BOUGHT SOMETHING!" My head spun back to her. "What did I buy?" I swung back to him, grabbing his arm. "WHAT DID I BUY?!” With total disregard for my immediate state of panic, she gasped for breath in a fit of giggles. “I do believe you just bought yourself a platter!”